Artist-Designed Washrooms Education Resources
The Arts Center’s award-winning washrooms put Sheboygan on the map for having the world’s best bathrooms, and the new facilities at the Art Preserve are no less impressive. Artists designed and created the washrooms through the Arts/Industry (A/I) program, a collaboration between the John Michael Kohler Arts Center and Kohler Co. A/I is a competitive residency; artists submit a project proposal and interview to be chosen. Those selected spend months in Sheboygan, working alongside Kohler Co. associates in the pottery or foundry, to create their proposed art in the factory.
Many A/I residents have never worked in a factory before arriving to Kohler Co. For some, even the process of casting porcelain or metal is an entirely new experience. However, Michelle Grabner, Beth Lipman, Joy Feasley, and Paul Swenbeck were all previous Arts/Industry participants in the foundry. They were invited back to design and fabricate the washrooms for the Art Preserve.
